How Tariffs and Regulations Impact LIB Recycling in the U.S. and EU

Post Views: 319 lithium-ion battery LIB Recycling Faces Policy Pressure Across the Atlantic The global lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling industry is expanding rapidly—but policy and tariff shifts are redrawing the map.In the U.S., recyclers seek clarity amid tariffs, federal funding freezes, and shifting trade rules.Meanwhile, the EU is pushing hard to meet new Battery Regulation mandates, but lacks refining scale. IDTechEx’s Li-ion Battery Recycling Market 2025–2045 report shows the U.S. and Asia-Pacific leading in hydrometallurgical recycling.The EU lags behind, still focused on mechanical processing to generate black mass—a precursor to refined battery-grade metals.Only Fortum operates a large-scale hydrometallurgical facility in the EU, highlighting the infrastructure gap.To meet minimum recycled content targets for lithium, nickel, and cobalt by 2031 and 2036, OEMs must boost capacity and battery collection rates now. In a favorable scenario with 75% collection of scr...